


Friends in Low Places

by lunarosewood23



Series: No Place Like Home [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Auriella meets her daughter's first friend!, Gen, More wholesome things and a bit of info about Raven's family., Rukia is wary but she's in good hands, Though Rukia you have WAAAAAAAYYYYYY too many knives, Very slight DRK questline spoilers but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26403550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarosewood23/pseuds/lunarosewood23
Summary: Set after "Welcome Home". The next day as she's making her rounds and spreading the news that her daughter was home, she finds one of Raven's sisters in the Forgotten Knight.Or: Rukia meets Auriella and she covers for her.
Series: No Place Like Home [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864051
Kudos: 1





	Friends in Low Places

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the LbR verse. A mostly OC story, but still set in the FFXIV verse bc this features some of Raven's family and friends and how they interact.

Auriella awoke the next morning with a sigh, yesterday just _had_ to be a dream. There was no way she ended up getting a letter from her daughter and then seeing her that evening...

She shook her head as she got ready for the day only to find the letter the way she had left it, open, with the pictures of her daughter’s friends to one side.

She picked up the parchment with a smile, she couldn’t wait to meet them, but she soon realized that she _had_ seen them, however briefly, when they entered the city.

_Last night was real._

“Raven is home.” She realized to herself.

A burst of joy sprang through her heart as she quickly finished getting ready and with a bit more spring in her step, she made her way through her rounds.

She then remembered that Gibrillont had a new mead for the knights and nearly skipped to the Forgotten Knight, where she heard a bit of a commotion and wandered in to see a pretty young woman trying to shelter from the cold...and trying to steal some sweet bread from Gibrillont that she made yesterday.

But what surprised her was the scales she caught a glimpse of on her face and the outline of horns where her ears were supposed to be.

An Au Ra, and there were two Au Ra she knew of and this was one of them.

“Rukia? Sweetheart are you alright?” Auriella called.

The woman stopped dead and looked to reach into her belt, probably to get a weapon but Gibrillont blinked and turned to her. “You know this girl Elle?”

“Gib she’s one of Raven’s friends. I don’t know why she’s not with them but I think she’s-oh my goodness honey how are you not freezing???” Auriella gasps when Rukia’s cloak falls away, revealing a black leather vest and a pair of shorts, a pair of high heeled leather boots covering her legs.

Rukia blinked as she let go of the knife on her belt. “How do you-wait a second, you’re Raven’s mother.” She realizes before sighing as she hands the bread back. “I’m sorry, I got into the city overnight-”

“Keep it.” Gibrillont says as Auriella places her cloak on her shoulders.

“I am thankfully not going in for long today, just dropping off some things. Gib if you don’t mind keeping her for a bit, I shall return anon. You wait right here Rukia, the hood should be able to cover your horns a bit easier.” She explains as she slides Gibrillont some gil for the trouble and gently tucks the hood over her head before smoothing it out over her horns.

“Hey hold on a minute Elle.” Gibrillont calls. She turns and he hands her a bottle of mulled wine. “That’s for some of the recipes, but did I hear correctly? Is Raven home?”

She beams at him and he sighs. “Tell her to come down here when she has time. I want to hear the stories she’s gotten up to.”

“I can tell you a few of them if you want sir.” Rukia offers as she munches on the bread.

Gibrillont looked over at the Au Ra settled by the bar and gives a small smile before turning back to Auriella. “Try not to be too long, I hear the inquisitors are starting their sweeps again, and she needs a better disguise than this.”

“I just need to tell Thorfinn and the others. No doubt Raven is going to come by, and with her friends and her boyfriend nonetheless!” She mused as she left, leaving Gibrillont sputtering a bit and she giggled.

She skipped across the way to the Congregation and grins as she sees Thorfinn shaping some dough. “Thorfinn I have news!!”

“One sec Elle, let me finish this-and there! Perfectly braided shaped sweetbread, a test run for the others to try!” He laughs as he slides it into the oven. “Now what is it?” He asks as he takes the ingredients from her along with the wine.

She can’t help but beam at him. “That letter I received was from Raven, and even better, she’s home!! And with some friends!” She exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

A shout of glee is heard from the mess hall as a group of five or six men perk up at hearing this as Thorfinn gets this huge smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. “BY THE FURY SHE’S HOME????” They all shout.

Auriella nods and they all let out varying cheers of “Thank the Fury she’s safe!”

Thorfinn soon sighs as he gathers himself. “When is she coming around? I’ve missed the lass.”

“She’s probably going to be a bit with all the fuss of her and her friends being wards of House Fortemps, plus I have no doubt she is also having to deal with some introductions with her boyfriend’s family...” She explained, muttering the last part to herself but Thorfinn hears her anyway.

He sniffled as he wiped a tear from his eye. “She’s grown up so fast my sweet little girl...”

“I know I know Thorfinn, but we have a bit of a pressing issue. One of Raven’s friends is an Au Ra, like the one swordsman in black armor who fended off a few of the priests and spends his time in the Forgotten Knight?” She asks, and when he nods she goes on to explain. “She’s over at the Forgotten Knight, she’s about 6 fulms, 2 ilms, though I think she’s shorter than that due to the high heels she’s wearing, has black scales on her face and not in the best clothes for this climate. She needs something to keep her warm and cover her scales.

Thorfinn nods solemnly. “I’ve got her. Go into my space and get the sweater and a pair of woolen leggings, and I’ll come by your place later to help with her scales. She still needs shoes right?” He says and she nods, disappearing to the break area and gathering the clothes.

“I’ll get her measurements so you can make some shoes for her.” She assures as she heads out and back to the Forgotten Knight, finding Rukia and Gibrillont talking over some tea and bread.

“Here sweetheart. These should be warmer than what you’re wearing. Though oh my goodness those boots...” She explained as she eyed the muddy high heeled boots on her legs. “I’m going to have a friend make you something that isn’t going to kill your feet.”

Rukia blinks as she takes the clothes from her. “Thank you miss...”

“Call me Auriella sweetheart. Don’t you worry about a thing, we’ll get you taken care of. Go ahead and get changed and we can go to my home. The innkeep will lead you to a room. Will you be alright walking in those heels?"

Rukia nods, feeling a bit engulfed in her cloak but smiles in thanks. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this..."

"Think nothing of it sweetheart, any friend of Raven's is already one of my own. Gibrillont will also see you have a safe place here too." She explains and looks at the proprietor with a smile.

He laughs. "As long as she's willing to share more stories about my niece." He says but she knows it's not really necessary.

Rukia nods and goes to change and when she came back out she grumbled. "Fucking scales..."

Auriella gave her a worried look. "Oh I should've asked sweetheart, I'm sorry. Are you comfortable?"

Rukia waved her hand dismissively. "It'll be fine for the walk, besides I was actually pretty cold. Thank you Auriella."

She frowned but nodded as she pulled her in for a hug. "We're gonna take care of you sweetheart. Knowing Raven she'll be looking for you.”

“They don’t know that I snuck in. I’m kind of not favored by Ishgardians for my scales and horns, and while Haurchefant and his men of Camp Dragonhead were welcoming, even if some of them were begrudging, the others were worried about me entering the city proper...” Rukia explained, rolling her eyes at the memory. “I can handle myself, but to no avail would they listen. So I snuck in to prove that I can help here.”

Auriella was quiet as Rukia talked, she knew her daughter, she was scared for her and understood her reasons. She took Rukia’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Raven and the others love you. She’s right in that many of my countrymen are overzealous jerks, especially the clergy, and won’t hesitate to maim or kill in Halone’s name. However,” She explained softly as they came up to a small, simple house between the Forgotten Knight and the Congregation. She unlocked the door and led her inside before continuing. “She and I know these people to be wrong. Halone may have her warpath, but we believe She is also capable of kindness, and mercy, nor would she be alright in the senseless killing of truly innocent people.”

“You sound like you’ve got some personal experience with that.” Rukia guessed.

“Not personally, but I know someone who does. I don’t know if you noticed him, but he’s often at the Forgotten Knight, an Au Ra with black horns and carries a greatsword on his back. He and his partner defended me a few years back from some overzealous clergymen and I offered them a good meal as thanks.” She explained, then went quiet for a moment. “I’m not sure if it’s my story to tell, but the only thing I will say is that he and his...tribe? Were from the Far East, a place called the Azim Steppe? Am I saying that right?”

Rukia blinked, which made Auriella worry. “Is something wrong sweetheart?”

“I’m from the Steppe as well. What’s his name?” She asked.

Auriella gasped in possible understanding. “His name is Sidrugu. Sidrugu Orl.”

Rukia sighed. “Not of my tribe then, but still, I’ll need to speak with him at some point.” She mumbled, but then her stomach growled.

Auriella giggled. "Let's get you fed and then we’ll see about introducing you.”

She then noticed Rukia’s weapons. “Oh I’m sorry sweetheart, but could you leave your weapons at the door? There’s a weapons rack there for all the knights that walk through my door, and my home has become a bit of a resting place you see.”

Rukia nods and sets down her knives, and Auriella notes how she seems to have them _everywhere_. She had the glowing knives and two other sets on her belt, along with at least two more on her thighs, and she seems to grumble and pull off her boots revealing two more in each boot, and when she pulled one off it was revealed that the stiletto of her heels hid knives in them as well. She then remembered her vest and decided to set it aside, revealing two more inside of it.

She looks up at Auriella’s expression and sighs. “I do a lot of spywork for the Scions, and in my line of work, there’s never enough places to hide a weapon.”

“My goodness...I’m worried for you but at the same time I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be. I’m actually really good at my job.” She assured her, and Auriella smiled as she led her into the kitchen and sat her down to rest and take her measurements when she heard a knock at the door, and by the slight heft, she knew it was Thorfinn.

“Come in darling!” Auriella called.

“Your husband?”

Auriella gave her a look of confusion before realizing what she meant and gave a laugh. “Oh goodness no sweetheart. Thorfinn is one of my friends in the kitchens and one of Raven’s many surrogate father figures. He’s also a good leatherworker, he’ll make you some comfortable boots that’ll be warm in this weather.” She explains as Rukia eyes the old man with greying brown hair and brown skin, his face bearing a few scars and has a bushy mustache and beard, who came in and hugged Auriella in greeting before looking at Rukia.

“So y’er the lass who snuck into the city ehh?” He guessed, and Rukia nods slowly.

He laughs, this jovial booming laugh made her think of her own father. “Don’t ye worry about a thing girlie, we’ll get you set right.”

Rukia nods and she realizes that she got lucky here in finding Raven’s family, and while she’ll probably get in a huge load of trouble with Raven and the others, but if she were honest, she really couldn’t find it in her to care.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed it!!


End file.
